The feel of the holidays was in the air as hundreds of residents came out to the Amtrak Station to meet the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train on Sunday, Nov. 30.

“It’s happening everywhere- the crowds have been phenomenal,” said Mike LoVecchio of CP Rail. “We have had excellent weather all along the run and the people have been coming out in greater numbers than ever.”

The CP Rail Holiday Train celebrated it’s 10th anniversary with a run throughout seven different states starting last Friday and running through the middle of December.

Along with spreading cheer, the Holiday Train also helps the communities which it visits by donating to the local food pantries, including the Whitehall Ecumenical pantry.

“With all of the history in this area and the ties to the railway, this is a major part of the community,” said LoVecchio. “This is an opportunity for CP Rail to give back to those communities where they live and where we serve.”

As part of helping out, the company gave $1,015 to the food pantry.

“On behalf of the community, we want to thank Canadian Pacific Rail for all of their support for the food pantry over the past 10 years,” said village mayor Patricia Norton, who accepted the check for the pantry along with Whitehall town supervisor Vernon Scribner and Whitehall United Methodist Church pastor Rev. Ginny Deyo.

“We also want to thank all of you who have come out for all of your donations,” added Norton.

LoVecchio said that people can tell their stories about the Holiday Train and see pictures from the event at the Web site www.holidaytrain.org.